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Ferrari to Triumph

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Bruce Bowker

Bruce Bowker

Obi Wan
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I was watching the race scene in Elvis Presley's movie Spinout only because I would like to have any one or better yet all of those cars.

Shelley Fabares was chasing the race cars in a nice big red Ferrari when she miseed a turn and went in the water. I never noticed it before but when the scene changed to her climbing out of the car with water up to nearly the top of the doors the car was a red TR4.

Bruce
 
Sorry ( or maybe good? )but not really at all. I guess it fooled the average movie watcher though and me for a few seconds.

Bruce
 
I wish my TR3 would turn into a 166 Barchetta /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I can't believe you noticed that too. I saw it this weekend. Also, in a close up scene, she (Shelle Fabares) looks like she's sitting in an MGB, but the scene went by too fast to be sure.
 
I noticed that two....still a very good movie though, just because of the beautiful cars....I noticed something similar in Herbie the Love Bug(yeah I know) but the character bought a Ferrari(can't remember which model) and when the Bug goes crazy and rams it, the Ferrari transforms into an E-type coupe.

Theres actually alot of car swapping or replicas used in movies a classic is the Miami Vice Ferrari Daytona(really a Pontiac Fiero) I know for me knowing that a car is a replica just kinda ruins the show, kinda weird.

Zack
 
I noticed it too. Noticed the movie when I was channel surfing, only watched the race scene, and only for the cars. As soon as they showed the sunken car I said to my wife "That's a TR4!"

R6mgs,
Excuse the correction, but the Daytona Spider in Miami Vice was a Corvette.

In the '70s it was fashionable for the TV shows to drive an E Type over a cliff and have it explode. Do any of you remember the episode of Magnum PI where they had Magnum driving a Jag while the Ferrari was in the shop? They really went out of their way to make fun of the Jag. Including having Tom Selleck's head stick out way above the windscreen when he was driving. Near the end of the show they drove it off a cliff.
Every time I saw a Jag wrecked in a TV show I shed a tear. I lusted for an e Type and they were using them in stunts.
Hopefully the producers are ashamed and upset every time one rolls across the auction block.
 
The Dodge Challenger in Vanishing Point turns into a burning Camaro at the end...but alas, the E-type that was driven off the cliff really was an XKE, albeit a really used-up one.
 
Yep, Crocketts Daytona in Miami Vice was a replica built on a Vette chassis. Way back about 15 years ago I saw two Daytona replicas at a car show that I was told were from the same manufacturer as did the car for the TV show. They were both really nice looking and had authentic Ferrari trim and parts, including upholstery, chrome bits and emblems, Veglia gauges, Borrani wires, the whole deal. I wouldn't ever have trouble with owning or driving one of those, it was a nice quality replica.

A little Miami Vice trivia, apparently Ferrari North America got tired of answering questions from fans of the show about the fake Ferrari, so they offered a pair of real, brandy new Testarossas to the producers of the show to use. This was written into the show with Crockett's Daytona getting blown up by an arms dealer demonstrating a stinger missle, and the switch to the newly confiscated Testarossa was made in the next episode. From what I've read, originally both Testarossas supplied by Ferrari NA were black, but were later repainted white for cinematography purposes. However, being that the Testarossas were real Ferraris, and on loan to the show, they didn't want to risk damage to them while shooting action sequences, so they had a replica stunt car Testarossa built for that purpose. This replica was built on a modified Pantera chassis using spare Testarossa body panels. It's pretty easy to spot the replica Testarossa in the show, look for the deep dish American Racing alloys on the rear that look nothing like real Testarossa wheels (at least not to me). They used this car in most of the high speed chase scenes and anywhere they had to worry about damage, while the real Ferraris were reserved for the "beauty shots". Hey, at least their stunt car was mid engined like the real thing.

Yes, I'm embarassed to admit I am a huge fan of the show, have been ever since I was a kid, cheesy as it is. I own the first season on DVD, can't wait for the second to be released. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Speaking of other movie trickery, as most of you know, the Ferrari California in "Ferris Buehler's Day Off" was actually an MGB tarted up to look the part.
Was the E-type over the cliff in "Harold and Maude" filmed for that movie or was it stock footage?
 
Actually, I believe the Ferris Buehler car was a custom built kit, not just an MGB with body panels and such, although it did use a few MGB off the shelf parts. The rear tail lights were the most easily recognized, and in the scene where they are trying to roll the odometer back you can see clearly the name Smiths on the gauge, not Veglia as a real Ferrari would have had. Other parts of the car were sourced from various sports cars of the same era, the top assembly was from a Fiat Spyder, although you never see it up in the movie. The company that built that car for the movie, and later the kits for sale to the public, was called Precision Design and Engineering. They did not claim that the car was a true 250 GT replica, but rather a custom built sportscar inspired by the 250 GT, since there were obvious, easily spotted signs that the car was not an exact copy. A few years back, before I got the TR6, I was toying with doing a kit and the 250 GT California was near the top of my list, it's one of my all time fav cars. I sent away for the information packet from Precision but never received a reply, and their web presence is all pretty much gone (they used to have a one page website @ calspyder.com but it is gone), so I kind of dropped the whole idea. I don't know if they are even in business anymore, but a 250 GT California replica went for sale on Ebay a few months back for over 60 grand. I don't recall if they said who the kit manufacturer was but it was a beautiful car. I found this ad awhile back on a bulletin board while I was digging for info on the cars, I believe they said it was a kit from Precision although some authentic Ferrari pieces were later added. The guy that posted this was also looking for info from Precision, presumably to possibly buy a kit. He had actually talked to someone there but they were unwilling to send him a copy of the build manual for the car, so he doubted they were even selling kits at that point. Shame, I think this is absolutely one of the most drop dead gorgeous designs ever to sit on four wheels, and a kit like this is really the only way that an average guy could ever hope of driving one of these cars. For the same money between this and a Cobra kit, quality being equal, I'd build this in a heartbeat.

11207ferris_bueller.jpg
 
That's why you have to love the original Gone in 60 Seconds. No stunt doubles were used. All the cars that were crashed were real. All the stunts were real. All the damage was real. Granted, no Ferraris or Lamborghinis were harmed in the making of the movie.
 
Somewhat off topic, but remember the Movie with Jim Carey "Pet detective" where he destroys the Land Rover & makes the perfect landing between I think two Rolls Royces?

At the time I was driving '73 Land Rover & local community was pretty upset. Turns out some guys from ME, East Coast Rovers cobbled together 7-8 body only rolling donors & they totalled them.

It really hurt when I first saw it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Do any of you remember the episode of Magnum PI where they had Magnum driving a Jag while the Ferrari was in the shop? They really went out of their way to make fun of the Jag. Including having Tom Selleck's head stick out way above the windscreen when he was driving.

[/ QUOTE ]

Remember it well. I said to myself, I don't care how tall he is, he would not stick up that high.

Bruce
 
[ QUOTE ]
R6mgs,
Excuse the correction, but the Daytona Spider in Miami Vice was a Corvette.


[/ QUOTE ]

My bad, I don't know what I was thinking...
I am also a big Miami Vice fan....In the VERY FIRST ever taping(might have been the original movie, can't remeber exactly) he drove a White Camaro almost identical to mine since then I've always had a soft spot for that show.

Zack
 
[ QUOTE ]
...Do any of you remember the episode of Magnum PI where they had Magnum driving a Jag while the Ferrari was in the shop? They really went out of their way to make fun of the Jag. Including having Tom Selleck's head stick out way above the windscreen when he was driving...

[/ QUOTE ]That's ironic, he didn't fit in the Ferrari either. Ever notice that they never showed him driving it with the Targa top on?

[ QUOTE ]
...Was the E-type over the cliff in "Harold and Maude" filmed for that movie or was it stock footage?

[/ QUOTE ]Yes, they crashed the "E-Hearse" for the film. That's why we've never seen it in a private collection or museum (and why there really aren't any pix of it floating around). At the time E-types were cheap and plentiful.

[ QUOTE ]
... they had a replica stunt car Testarossa built for that purpose. This replica was built on a modified Pantera chassis using spare Testarossa body panels...Hey, at least their stunt car was mid engined like the real thing...

[/ QUOTE ]There was an article on the car, I think it was in Popular Mechanics, they added a full tubular roll cage and swapped out the Cleveland for a big block, Weeeeeee!

[ QUOTE ]
...A few years back, before I got the TR6, I was toying with doing a kit and the 250 GT California was near the top of my list, ...I sent away for the information packet from Precision but never received a reply, ...The guy that posted this ... doubted they were even selling kits at that point...

[/ QUOTE ]I ran into those guys (well, they claimed they were the same guys) at a car show way back when. I don't know how many incarnations the company went through but at the time they were calling themselves Modena Design and Development and calling the car the "Classic GT250". At that time they sold it only as a full car, made to order. Seem to recall the price starting at $60k (in the late eighties).

[ QUOTE ]
That's why you have to love the original Gone in 60 Seconds. No stunt doubles were used. All the cars that were crashed were real. All the stunts were real. All the damage was real. Granted, no Ferraris or Lamborghinis were harmed in the making of the movie.

[/ QUOTE ] /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Man, I love that movie. Filmed totally in the neighborhood I grew up in. Love the part where the chase goes through the Cadillac dealer where my dad got his Deville serviced. The local cops and our city mayor played themselves too.

And while we're on the subject, WOO HOO! The Gumball Rally Is finally out on DVD! They crashed both a Cobra and a Ferrari Daytona while filming it, neither on purpose, and they didn't have them hurt in story. If you pay attention you can see some damage on the cobra in some scenes.


PC.
 
HAHA thats great, another Vice freak, so I'm not alone. Zack, you're right, that was the pilot movie, which later became the first episode. He steals some guys white Camaro to chase Tubbs when he steals Crocketts boat.

[ QUOTE ]
And while we're on the subject, WOO HOO! The Gumball Rally Is finally out on DVD! They crashed both a Cobra and a Ferrari Daytona while filming it, neither on purpose, and they didn't have them hurt in story. If you pay attention you can see some damage on the cobra in some scenes.


[/ QUOTE ]

OMG!!! You're kidding! PC man, I need details ASAP. Where did you see it for sale? I've been looking for this for years. I read awhile back that the company that owns the rights to the film had refused to have it remastered for DVD release, and that they were unwilling to sell it to someone else for this purpose. Did someone finally wear them down? Either way thats great news, one of my all time favorite car flicks, blows the Cannonball run movies away IMO.

And now my friend, the first rule of Italian driving.
(as he rip off the rearview mirror and tosses it out the back) What's behind me is not important.

*EDIT* Jeez, I am blind, I just saw the link you put in your post PC, never mind. And a big THANKS! I am ordering this tonight!
 
The worst REAL movie crash I know of is one of the many in Steve McQueens "LeMans", my favourite move of any genre, not just car movie.
David Piper, the well known Ferrari driver, lost his leg below the knee in the accident. Varios real Ferraris and a Lola 70 GT get treated very roughly, although the flaming Ferrari which setys the tree on fire was launched , I believe, with some sort of catapult. Realism has its price.
Simon.
 
Does anyone remember "A Star is Born" Kris Kristoferson crashes a Ferrari Daytona. The view from the overturned car looks real.
 
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